COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus Men's Basketball team used an overpowering second half to defeat Elmira 84-65 in their 2025-26 season opener on Friday night at Helfferich Hall.
It was the Bears opening game of the Bear Bash Tip-Off Tournament and they will advance to the Championship Game of the event against Marietta, who won 89-81 over Misericordia in the first game of the night.
Sophomore
Jamie Murphy led the Bears with a career-high 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting and nearly missed a double-double with nine rebounds plus adding two assists. Senior
Mohamed Toure totaled 19 points behind going 6-of-9 shooting and grabbed five steals, four rebounds, and two blocks. Senior
Nick Nocito was the third Bear in double-figures with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting while adding four assists, three steals, and two rebounds.
The lead went back-and-forth in the opening five minutes as the lead changed hands eight times with two times. Elmira broke ahead and went up 16-11 behind five straight points at the 14:11-mark of the first half and maintained it out to 18-13 two minutes later. The Bears ripped off an 8-2 run to take the lead back at 21-20 following a three-pointer from Toure at the 9:30-mark of the first half. Elmira answered with a three-pointer and led 27-24 before the Bears took their largest lead of the half at 37-29 with 2:42 left in the first half behind a 13-2 run. Ursinus went up 40-32 with 1:11 left in the first half after a layup from Murphy, but the Soaring Eagles closed the half out with back-to-back three-pointers to get within two points at 40-39 going into the locker rooms.
Toure started red hot to open the second half by scoring six of the Bears first eight points to give them a 48-41 lead at the 17:54-mark. Elmira pulled back within three points at 48-45 at the 17:13-mark, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the game. Ursinus scored 17 straight points to go up 65-45 at the 9:43-mark of the second half and held the Soaring Eagles without a point for a span of 7:39 and a field goal for a staggering span of 12:18. Ursinus went up by as many points as 21 at 69-48 with 8:40 left in regulation and did not let their lead fall below 15 points the rest of the game.
The Bears shot 50.8 percent (31-of-61) from the field and just 26.7 percent (4-of-15) from three-point range. Ursinus shot 75 percent (18-of-24) from the free throw line and held a 45-34 rebounding advantage that led to a 14-7 edge in second chance points. The Bears also held a 23-8 advantage in Fastbreak points. Meanwhile, the Soaring Eagles shot 31.1 percent (19-of-61) from the field behind going just 20 percent (6-of-30) in the second half. Elmira went 7-of-30 (23.3) percent from three-point range and 64.5 percent (20-of-31) from the free throw line.
Kelton Brown led Elmira and all scorers with 24 points.
The Bears return to action tomorrow, November 8
th as they will host Marietta for the Bear Bash Tip-Off Championship game at 3:00 p.m.
